Computerized gaming systems for casino type games of chance have become more flexible and efficient with client-server based configurations where client gaming machines are connected to a central server and a central database in a data communications network. The different units forming the gaming system need updated information from time to time, and it is natural with this kind of architecture that updated information be distributed over the data communications network.
In recent game software architectures, the game software is modularised with a client game module in the client gaming machine and a server game module in a game application server that are both involved when a game is executed. This results in a tight coupling between different units of the gaming system and it is important that updates are put into effect as soon as possible in all affected units.
There is a requirement that the uptime for the gaming machines and other units in the gaming system should be affected as little as possible by updates while, at the same time, it is required that the information is updated with a minimum of delay. It is known to manage updating by making the gaming machines check for updated information on a regular basis. However, in order to maintain a system that is always updated, this requires checking to be performed frequently, which in turn affects the performance of the system as a whole. The data communications network is typically designed mainly with regard to the transaction frequency and the workload for the gaming applications, and there may be no large spare data transmission capacity dedicated for other data communication.
There is therefore a need for an efficient information updating method that affects the gaming applications to a minimum and that operates smoothly within a neatly dimensioned data communication network. It is an object of the invention to satisfy this need, or at least to provide an alternative to current gaming systems and methods of updating gaming system that is of utility.